Loosening Up

One of the many things I enjoy about calligraphy practice
is the constant interplay between form, precision and legibility
on one hand and artistic freedom, looseness and illegibility on the other hand.

I tend to adhere more closely to form and enjoy the never-ending search for precision,
but I’m often left wishing I could loosen up more.
Most of my calligraphy heroes have an amazing mastery of the form,
but they don’t always adhere to it in their art –
in fact, in many cases the work is illegible,
yet it’s still clearly derivative of the form.

Experimenting with a looser, almost gestural style – from my daily sketchbook